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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bowl · capital · foot · temple · chip · can · firm · kick

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. firm — steady
  5. capital — money
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. can — a tin
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. firm — decided
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. capital — a city
  17. kick — in football
  18. firm — a company
  19. can — a tin
  20. chip — to eat
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com